The Top 10 Questions on Sex and Psychology
March 31, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
For today’s post, I have put together an updated list of the ten most-read Q&As of all time on the blog. As you’ll see, these questions (all submitted by readers of Sex and Psychology) span quite a range of topics. However, most of them are united by the same theme: “What’s normal when it comes to sex?” What you’ll see when you read the answers is that “normal” does not mean just one thing!
10. How often do married couples have sex? (It turns out that there’s a lot of variability, and frequency seems to depend a lot on people’s age. It’s also important to note that more isn’t always better when it comes to sex and that, as we age, quality of sex becomes much more important than quantity.)
9. Do women become “loose” if they have a lot of sex? (Some women’s vaginas may become “looser” over time, but not as a function of how much sex they’re having.)
8. What percentage of women reach orgasm from intercourse alone? (Based on the research I’ve seen, about half of the women surveyed report this.)
7. Is deeper penetration better? (For most women, not necessarily—but for some it is. In fact, some women can reach orgasm from stimulation of the cervix.)
6. Does penis size actually affect female pleasure? (The answer to the deeper penetration question above addresses the issue of penile length. But what about girth/circumference? Research finds that women tend to rate girth as the most important penis dimension. For a more detailed look at the research on this subject, see here.)
5. Do women enjoy anal sex? (Many do, and studies find that it is an increasingly common sexual activity practiced by women today. Although it didn’t make the top 10 list this time around, many readers have also been curious about how to make anal sex more pleasurable.)
4. Injaculation: Is it dangerous for guys to prevent ejaculation during orgasm? (Probably not. There isn’t a single scientific source to suggest that this practice causes problems. In fact, this is actually a common and very successful technique used among guys who are trying to learn better ejaculatory control in order to resolve premature ejaculation.)
3. Is “rimming” safe? (Like any sexual activity, there are risks associated with this one–but there are also ways to make it safer.)
2. Why are so many straight men into transsexual porn? (This is a common sexual interest among men and, contrary to popular belief, most men who are attracted to male-to-female transsexuals are not gay.)
1. I want to watch my wife sleep with someone else. Is that normal? (Believe it or not, this is also a very common sexual fantasy among men. For an even more detailed look at the research in this area, check out this article.)
For previous editions of Sex Question Friday, click here. To send in a question for a future edition, click here.
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Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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